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Claims by union leaders that the Southern Rail strike crippling the journeys of hundreds of thousands of commuters is justified by safety concerns have been undermined by experts they cite.

Southern Rail staff from the Aslef and RMT unions are carrying out a series of strikes over the roll-out of driver-only trains, which they claim are a risk to passenger safety.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said on Radio 4 on Tuesday morning that the union had been told by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) that "we cannot rely upon the technology we are using" as he cited reasons for why the strike "isn't about money - this is about safety".

On the day that striking train drivers brought the Southern network to a halt in the worst disruption for more than 20 years, it later emerged that a report by the RAIB earlier this month said: "We have found no evidence to suggest that driver only operated trains cannot be dispatched safely."

Our inspectors are satisfied that, with suitable equipment, proper procedures and competent staff in place, it is a safe method of workingIan Prosser, HM Chief Inspector of Railways

And Ian Prosser, the HM Chief Inspector of Railways, has ruled that the trains, which have run on Britain’s rail network for more than thirty years, are safe.

In a letter to the Transport Select Committee, he said: "Trains with doors operated by drivers (known in the industry as Driver Only Operation) have been in operation in Great Britain for more than 30 years.

"ORR has scrutinised this approach, and our inspectors are satisfied that, with suitable equipment, proper procedures and competent staff in place, it is a safe method of working."

Meanwhile, it has emerged that shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald pledged to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with striking rail unions and claimed that roll-out of driver-only trains would lead to passengers being “dragged along” platforms.

In comments reported by the staff magazine of Aslef, the train drivers’ union, Mr McDonald claimed that driver-only trains were a risk to passenger safety.

The Aslef journal quoted Mr McDonald as saying that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling “may not be bothered but he will be when the first passenger, with a bag trapped in the door, is dragged along the platform”.

The RMT’s newsletter also quoted Mr McDonald as praising the strikers, who have brought misery to hundreds of thousands of commuters.

He was reported to have told RMT members at a parliamentary rally: "It takes some guts to stand up for what you believe in and you have my utmost admiration. Labour stands shoulder to shoulder with the RMT in not being prepared to compromise over safety”.

Trains parked at Selhurst depot in south London amid the strikeCredit:
Kirsty O'Connor/PA

Members of the drivers' union, Aslef, mounted picket lines outside stations on Tuesday morning at the start of a 48-hour walkout in a dispute over driver-only trains. Another 24-hour strike is set for Friday.

As many as 300,000 passengers normally travel on 2,242 Southern services every day during the week - including busy commuter routes from Sussex to London Victoria - but the company has told them there will be no trains on any route.

Cards and parcels could be delayed after staff at the UK’s 300 largest Post Offices - which handle 20 per cent of all post - announced a five-day strike which will last until Christmas Eve. It is the longest continuous strike in the 300 year history of the Post Office.

Normally busy railway stations were deserted as passengers worked from home, took the day off or attempted to drive because of the huge disruption. Some of those who battled into work on alternative routes expressed their frustration on Twitter.

An empty concourse at Brighton station on Tuesday morning as passengers stayed awayCredit:
David McHugh/Brighton Pictures

Crowds of commuters wait for unaffected Thameslink trains from BrightonCredit:
David McHugh/Brighton Pictures

Commuters await a South West Train at Clapham JunctionCredit:
Guy Bell/REX/Shutterstock

Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, described the rail strike as a "deliberate act of militancy" and claimed he was warned of 10 years of industrial action the first time he met the leader of Aslef.

But Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, accused Mr Grayling of being "less than honest on all counts", adding: "We don't want to inconvenience passengers nor do our members want to lose money, but we have been forced into this by an intransigent company that is not prepared to negotiate."

In the absence of Southern passengers, Victoria, one of London's main commuter stations, was much quieter than usual on Tuesday morning.

More than half of the departure boards on the main concourse displayed no journey information as the first day of the 48-hour strike hit morning rush-hour.

Mr Grayling, who is a Southern Rail user himself, said: “People have said to me: ‘Can’t you step in and fix it?’. I wish I could. But I don’t have the power to order people back to work.

"It is unfortunately a lawful strike – it’s not a strike I agree with, but I don’t have the power to require those staff to return to work.”

Mr Grayling said he was not happy with the performance of the railways in general, but he could not deal with the problems until the Southern strikes ended.

He said he had asked Southern's owner, Govia Thameslink Railway, to attend fresh talks at the conciliation service Acas but Aslef had refused - a claim the union has denied.

Aslef boss denies strikes are politically motivated

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, accused the Transport Secretary of being "less than honest on all counts".

He also referred to a speech made at a public meeting in Croydon earlier this year by a DfT official.

"Earlier this year Peter Wilkinson, the £265,000 a year director of rail passenger services, said on a public platform that the aim of the DfT is to force train drivers - men and women he derisively referred to as 'muppets' - 'out of my industry'.

"Mr Wilkinson said he was determined to provoke industrial confrontation and, indeed, was looking forward to 'punch-ups' with trade unions.

"The strikes this week are not, whatever Mr Grayling tries to suggest, politically motivated. We have a trade dispute with GTR/Southern, and only a poor government would seek to spin it any other way. I think their motives are clear."

Mick Whelan, the Aslef general secretaryCredit:
REX/Shutterstock

Mr Whelan added: "We regret the action we are taking today. We don't want to inconvenience passengers nor do our members want to lose money, but we have been forced into this by an intransigent company that is not prepared to negotiate.

"We are prepared to negotiate; that is how we struck a deal earlier this year with ScotRail which works for the company, the passengers and the staff. It can be done.

"But Southern didn't want to do a deal. Their definition of negotiations and talks is to sit down and tell us what they want to do. They should look the word up in the dictionary if they don't understand.

"It's up to the company, and the Government, to be flexible and end the misery of commuters. The power is in their hands. Why won't Chris Grayling tell Southern to do the right thing for once?"

Aslef denied company claims that it had refused to attend peace talks over the weekend.

Mr Whelan said Southern Railway had contacted him to suggest going to Acas late on Sunday, but Aslef said it would do so only if the company called off the court action.

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators, said: "Rail companies are trying to modernise the way they work to give customers better, more punctual, more comfortable services, but hundreds of thousands of passengers are suffering needless disruption because of these strikes - despite independent expert evidence that safety isn't at risk. Trains where drivers close the doors are safe.

"The truth is that these strikes are not about safety, not about jobs and not about customer service."

How it got to this point via failed legal action

Three judges in the Court of Appeal backed High Court judge Sir Michael Burton's refusal to grant an injunction blocking what GTR called "unprecedented" strike action and argued would unlawfully restrict freedom of movement provisions under EU law.

Lord Justice Elias, Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice Lloyd Jones also said they were not prepared to grant an injunction.

Southern passengers have suffered months of disruption because of the Aslef dispute and a separate row with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over changes to the role of guards, as well as staff shortages, staff sickness and other problems such as signal failures.

Aslef is also planning a week-long strike from January 9.

Southern: We strongly advise people not to travel

Charles Horton, chief executive of Southern's parent company Govia Thameslink Railway, said he was "disappointed" at the Appeal Court's decision and called for fresh talks at the conciliation service Acas.

He said: "We strongly advise people not to travel. In addition, there will be severe disruption every day during the ongoing industrial action because of the union's overtime ban.

"We will now be asking Acas to convene urgent and immediate talks between GTR and Aslef.

"Our aim is to find a resolution to their dispute so we can bring an end to the misery being suffered by the travelling public."

London Mayor: Southern passengers have been abandoned

In a video message posted on Twitter, mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged the Government to give TfL control of commuter lines like Southern, Southeastern and South West.

Addressing commuters Mr Khan said: "You pay too much for delays, cancellations and disruption. You deserve a better service. Southern commuters have been abandoned by the Government. You've had months of chaos. But it doesn't have to be like this."

The mayor urged commuters to write to the Transport Secretary and the Prime Minister for TfL to have control - promising a "more frequent and more reliable" service "with fewer strikes" and "more affordable fares".

He added: "This is far more important than party politics. Together we can secure the decent and affordable commute that you deserve."

RMT union stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with Aslef

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said his union's Southern drivers were standing "shoulder to shoulder" with their Aslef colleagues.

"This strike action is wholly the responsibility of a Government and a company that have sought to bulldoze through changes that are ill-conceived, finance-led and fraught with danger," he said.

"RMT remembers only too well the words of top Government transport official Peter Wilkinson who told Southern passengers he wanted a punch-up with the unions, that train drivers were muppets and that he would starve our members back to work.

"That was the top Government rail official making it clear he was hell-bent on confrontation and it is that position which has led us to today's shutdown.

"This morning Chris Grayling claimed again that the action on Southern is political - it isn't, it's about safe train operation for both passengers and staff alike.

"The Transport Secretary wants to ask himself why the unions have been able to resolve disputes and reach agreements on Scotrail and elsewhere if our motivation is purely political.

"Mr Grayling also claimed again that the RSSB is an independent safety body - it isn't, it's funded by the private train companies.

"Mr Grayling claimed there is a campaign of unofficial action organised by the unions - there isn't, and the evidence points to Southern sabotaging services to try and turn the blame on to the staff."

Transport Secretary's letter to MPs about strike

Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, said he had avoided direct involvement in the bitter dispute at Southern Railway over driver-only trains because it would make the issue more political.

Mr Grayling said the dispute with Aslef, and a separate row with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union over the role of guards, were a battle between unions and management over new ways of working on the railways. He wrote:

"My ministerial and official team and I have been working hard since we took over our jobs just under five months ago to try to find a way through this. But the unions appear to have little interest in resolving the dispute unless the management cave in totally to their demands.

"These are not just to stop the current modernisation process, but to start reversing 30 years of working practice changes right across the country.

"When I met the general secretary of Aslef soon after my appointment, with virtually his first breath he promised me '10 years of industrial action'.

"I have therefore believed it better to avoid direct ministerial involvement in negotiations during the autumn, as my involvement would make the issue even more political than it is.

"I wish we were dealing with reasonable people on the union side. For all the shortcomings of the train operator - and there have been many - and the failures of the infrastructure - also many - it is difficult to resolve any of the other problems on this network while the union leadership seem hell bent on fomenting this dispute."

'Are you actually JOKING?': Disruption on alternative routes

Commuters travelling on alternative rail services from the south faced further delays when a signal failure at Brixton meant the Victoria line was suspended between the south London Underground station and Victoria.

Initial delays were reported by Transport for London at around 6.30am before the service between the two stations was terminated at around 7.30am.

Greater Anglia trains has cancelled at least 30 trains on Tuesday morning, with many more delayed due to broken-down trains and signal failures.

The train company has cancelled all services between Audley End and Newport Essex due to signal failures while a broken down freight train being moved at 3mph has blocked some lines between Ipswich and Manningtree.

Disruption due to the freight train, which Greater Anglia said will take 2.5 hours to make an eight mile journey, is expected to be cleared by midday.

There is also a broken down train meaning no services are operating between Sudbury and Marks Tey. Customers are being advised not to travel with disruption expected until midday.